Musician brings innovation to Gamelan

JAKARTA (JP): Now, it's the turn for music lovers at the Third Indonesian Art Summit. After four exquisite dance performances brought to the stage by renowned local and international artists, the latest piece of music by Balinese musician-composer I Nyoman Windha will create a unique atmosphere at the festival.

For two consecutive days, on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2 at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta in Central Jakarta at 8 p.m., the composer, known for his ability to imbue traditional phrases or forms with unique and surprising flair, will perform his fresh, latest piece of music for the festival's audience.

Titled Simponi Bambu (the Bamboo Symphony), the 45-year-old lecturer at Denpasar-based Indonesian Arts Institute will present his new exploration of the gamelan orchestra.

Simponi Bambu will artistically challenge the domination of percussion as the main musical instrument in the Balinese gamelan orchestra, creating a different image of the island's traditional gamelan. People have so far assumed the strong use of percussion instruments as the trademark of Balinese gamelan.

However, in his exploration, he discovered other musical instruments that are also prevalent in Balinese gamelan. Suling (traditional flute) dominates the Gamelan Gambuh orchestra, while mandolin (stringed instrument) in Gamelan Mandolin. However, they are less popular than those based on percussion.

Through his new works, the musician, whose materials for his creations are usually derived from a wide variety of instrumental and vocal music, will try to present suling as dominant instruments in his new composition by blending it with melodious vocal elements.

Exploring music is not something new for the musician. He was guest artistic director at the California-based Gamelan Sekar Jaya orchestra for three different periods between 1990 and 1994 and became a musician, lecturer and composer for the Anggur Jaya gamelan orchestra in Germany.

His previous works are said to have displayed his talent for innovation within a traditional framework. They evoke a unique atmosphere, which draws on older musical styles as well as non- Balinese idioms. His works have been staged at various events, including the Young Composers Week organized by the Jakarta Arts Council. He has also performed at events abroad including a recent tour he made to the United States, Hong Kong, Japan and Europe. (ste)